Jockey Humberto Rispoli, who was injured at Gulfstream Park on January 24, will need a second surgery, according to the Daily Racing Form. His agent, Matt Nakatani, confirmed that the operation will help stabilize the injury and treat Rispoli’s fractured fibula.
Nakatani shared with the Daily Racing Form that the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and Rispoli is expected to return home early next week. Although the exact timeline for his comeback remains uncertain, it is anticipated that Rispoli will be sidelined for several months. “The best approach is to take it one day at a time,” Nakatani added.
Rispoli suffered breaks to his ankle, tibia, and fibula after falling from Unconquerable Keene during the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, an undercard race to the Pegasus World Cup. The incident happened near pole 16 when John Velasquez and his horse My Boy Prince appeared to drift into Rispoli’s path, causing Unconquerable Keene to stumble and throw Rispoli over his left shoulder. Fortunately, the horse remained uninjured and rejoined the race, with My Boy Prince and Velasquez finishing third.
Having relocated to the United States in 2020, Rispoli achieved his first American Classic victory in 2025, riding Journalism to win the Preakness Stakes. The 37-year-old has previously been a top jockey in both Italy and Hong Kong.
For more details, visit drf.com.
This article originally appeared in the Paulick Report on January 29, 2026, in the News section.
Fan Take: Humberto Rispoli’s injury is a significant loss to the racing community, as one of the sport’s most talented jockeys faces a long road to recovery. His return will be eagerly anticipated, highlighting both the risks jockeys face and the resilience required to compete at the highest levels of horse racing.
